LADY DALY

Paddle Steamer 'Lady daly' is described in R Parsons' book "Paddle steamers of Australia" as being of wood with a stern wheel. Built in 1862 at Fletcher's Slip, Port Adelaide and then rebuilt at Moama in 1872. The vessel had 2 steam engines, 2 decks and a square stern. It was registered at Port Adelaide and owned by A Murray & P Jackson. In 1872 it was owned by E Brett and registered in Melbourne. In 1873 it was owned by R Barbour and in 1874 the Murray, Murrimbidgee & Darling rivers Steamboat Co, then W McCulloch & Co. Register closes in 1919 when the last owner advised that the vessel had been burnt out on the Murray about 1893-4. The hull was reportedly burnt as it lay on the bank near what is now the Murray Saw milling Co at Echuca. The Adelaide 'Observer' june 28 1862 reports: "…was to have been called Fort Bourke, but this was changed before she was launched. Was built under the supervision of Capt Murray and by Williams and Waite, Port Adelaide. She has four rudders and the trial will be Echuca. She lost the wheelhouse and several passengers were injured when the vessel was steered into some trees. The helmsman mistook an opening in some trees for the main stream on a dark night. Captain Pullar received a fractured leg. Lady Daly traded between Goolwa and wentworth in 1872-3, Murray Bridge and Goolwa and upriver in 1874. In February 1878 it was reported that this ship had been stuck fast for some months on Hart's Island near Wentworth. Some time since the Mundoo was sent from Goolwa with gear to get her off, but she was so strained that it would seem that she would not be much use until thoroughly overhauled. The day after this report appeared her owners W McCulloch and Co replied with some heat in the public columns that the report was wrong and that the vessel had only been onshore for a fortnight and was not strained at all. This vessel was claimed to have been built on the American Riverboat style and her part owner claimed to Be an American." For further detail refer to "paddle steamers of Australia" by R Parsons.